Turn left safer & smarter with these skills, techniques & strategies.
The Most Dangerous Maneuver ON Your Driver's Test
00:00:00 - The Most Dangerous Maneuver ON Your Driver’s Test
00:04:00 - How to Avoid Left Hand Turns
00:08:11 - Presentation on the Dangers of Left Turns
00:17:49 - What To Do IF You Have a Driver’s Test Tomorrow
00:25:11 - Drinking & Driving - MADD’s Contract For Life
00:31:06 - The Different STOP Signs You Must Know for Your Driver’s Test
00:33:02 - How to Get Cheaper Insurance for New Drivers
00:36:08 - Perfect - Control Space Around Your Vehicle Using the Accelerator
00:39:18 - Bureaucrats Are Definitely NOT Getting Smarter
00:44:19 - 2 Schools of Thinking On Where to Wait for Left Turns
00:48:08 - Pedestrians Think They’re Invincible…They’re Wrong
00:54:13 - To Drive Better You Must Focus on Parking & Slow-Speed Maneuvers
00:55:19 - The Ohio Maneuverability Test is the Best for Learning Drivers
00:58:35 - Social Driving & Your Best Defensive Posturing
01:02:06 - Good Luck On Your Driver’s Test
Left Turning Dangers
Of all the traffic manoeuvres, left turns rank amongst the most dangerous.
On left turns you risk a "T" bone crash.
Even in this day-and-age, there's little in the car to protect the vehicle occupants.
When moving through an intersection past a line of left turning vehicles, be on the lookout for left-turning vehicles coming from the opposite direction.
Left turns are now the highest risk maneuvers for new drivers.
Blind Left Turns
When making a left turn, you must give way to oncoming traffic at traffic lights.
Never follow other traffic blindly through an intersection.
If you can’t see the traffic light, or you can’t see oncoming traffic because of vehicle in front, wait for them to clear before committing to the intersection and the turn.
You risk a “T” bone crash if you blindly follow other traffic through the intersection.
Why “T” Bone Crashes are So Lethal
T bone crashes often happen when making a left-hand turn.
What makes these even more tragic is that it's often a couple in the car, and the spouse is killed.
There's little to protect occupants on a left-hand turn.
"T" bone crashes are most common when a driver is executing a left turn.
And all the energy of the crash is focus on a small area right at the occupant's vital organs.
Turn Left on Yellow
For a left turn at a complex intersection, wait with your steer tires on the front crosswalk line.
That way you're committed to the intersection, but you're not in it.
Watch both the traffic light and oncoming traffic.
When the light turns to yellow, drive straight into the intersection.
When you've double and triple checked that oncoming traffic is stopping, then and only then do you expediently make your left turn.
Multiple Left Turning Lanes Which One?
When turning left at an intersection with multiple turning lanes, always use the outside lane - the right-hand lane.
On multiple turn lanes, best practice is to take the outside lane.
That way, after you make your turn you will be in the right hand lane.
On a driving test it's best practices because you have to be in the right lane for most of your test.
If you’re driving a larger vehicle or pulling a trailer, being in the outside lane is going to compensate for the off-tracking.
Mistakes Drivers Make When Turning Left
Most drivers wait in the intersection to make a left turn.
While waiting to turn left, some other drivers turn their steer tires to the left.
The second technique is the most dangerous.
Stop in traffic one vehicle length back from the car in front for best defensive posturing.
If you're rear-ended while waiting to turn left and your steer tires are turned left, you'll be driven into oncoming traffic.
The first technique is equally dangerous because if something happens while you're waiting in the intersection, you too are going to be involved in the crash.
If you're not in the intersection, there's less chance that you're going to be involved in a crash.
The reason we advocate staying out of the intersection is because more than 40% of crashes happen in this location.
Yes, 40% of crashes happen at intersections.
Proper Procedure for Turning Left
At most complex intersections, there's going to be an advanced left turning arrow.
If possible go when there's a protected left turn.
That's your safest left turn procedure at a complex intersection.
If you miss the protected left turn light, wait with your front steer tires on the front crosswalk line.
This stopping position is just before the edge of the intersection - just before going into "the box."
If the intersection is backed up, wait at the edge until it clears before entering.
Do NOT wait behind the STOP line - you will get honked at for not moving forward.
When the gap presents itself on the other sdie of the intersection begin driving straight forward into the intersection.
It takes 8 - 12 seconds to complete a left turn at a complex intersection.
In very rought car lengths, you need 15 - 20 car lengths to execute your turn safely.
When the car that's in front of your gap reaches the STOP line on the other side of the intersection, that's when you begin to move forword into the intersection.
When the other vehicle passes you in the intersection, check, double and triple check that the oncoming traffic is NOT present.
At that juncture you can turn.
Map & Track Road Users
When you're approaching an intersection, observe well by both scanning the intersection and shoulder checking.
With good observation, you can locate and track road users.
When waiting at the intersection, have calm awareness.
Where are road users that are going to cross your path of travel?
Shoulder check to track and map road users that might cross your path of travel.
In other words, are there any other "dummies" that are going to get in your way and slow you down?
When making a left turn, it's not just the pedestrians and road users in front of you using the crosswalk, but those on the far left corner.
Are there pedestrians that you're going to need to track?
Are there right turning vehicles that you could potentially sideswipe because they made the right turn and then immediately drifted into the left lane?
Approximately 50% of drivers turn left or right on a multi-lane road and then immediately drift over to the other lane.
When turning left, it's left lane to left lane.
Why Do You Have to Move Right After Completing the Left Turn on a Multi-Lane Road?
Every state and province in North America has a regulatory sign: "Slower Traffic Keep Right."
This sign is NOT a suggestion.
On a driver's test, you are going to be driving the speed limit.
All other drivers are going to be keeping up with the traffic flow, which is usually 5 - 8 mph faster than the posted speed limit.
Because you are the slowest driver, you must keep right according to the above regulatory sign.
And no, the examiner will NOT tell you to move back to the right.
Only stay in the left lane if the driving examiner tells you to turn left again in another couple of blocks.